mr president for all too long our seas have not been truly managed but torn between conflicting economic interests
sometimes it is fisheries sometimes farming sometimes maritime transport energy or tourism that sets the agenda
regional sea strategies such as the atlantic or baltic strategies should be a tool to coordinate and to help identify priority objectives
we must remember that some policies such as fisheries and agriculture are mostly decided at eu level but with environmental policies it is member states that are mostly responsible
i therefore believe that the eu integrated maritime policy has an important role to play
an efficient system of so-called marine spatial planning will be key to prioritising objectives and will guide managers policy makers and stakeholders
cooperation with other states in the atlantic region is also absolutely essential in order for instance to decrease the amount of microscopic plastic debris to fight illegal fishing or to ensure that fisheries and environmental regulations are effectively controlled and enforced
we all depend on healthy seas and good environmental status
that will benefit all sectoral interests not least fisheries and tourism
therefore environmental objectives are not only about the environment but also about a prosperous atlantic region
